Automatic mold closing apparatus



March 7, 1933. Q E MAYNARD I 1,900,455

AUTOMATIC MOLD CLOSING APPARATUS Q Filed Oct. 12, 19:51 3 Sheets- Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

O/n/ezfs [MAR Him 4m A TTORNEY.

March 7, 1933.

C.E.MAYNARD AUTOMATIC MOLD CLOSING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 12, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 nvmvron (7/421 [6 5004/? Mnmw ya'wfifu.

,ATTURNEY March 7, 1933. c. E. MAYNARD w 1,900,455

AUTQMATIC MQLD CLOSING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 12, 1931 3Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Man 7, 1933 UNITEDTS TATES ermnnns EDGAR MAYNARD, or rtonrrrmmr'ron, ,MAssAcm sn'r'rs, Assieuon. T ROLAND w. BOYDEN AND cnee ns, A. name, as nncnrvnns or TI-IE rrsxnuesne COMPANY, OF CHICQPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- UTOMATIC om) cLosI-ne APPARATUs I Application filed 0ctober12,1931. seriai lt 568,362. 1

r the present invention to provide mold closing apparatus which will operate on the molds while on the conveyor which transports them i to the heaters and in a more etficient manner. 15'

than prior devices of this character; A fun ther object is to provide a device which will automatically operate on each mold of a, series uniformly, regardless of the spacing or size of the mold. Other and further objects will be apparent from the following specification and claims. v

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device shown in operative relation'with a mold conveyor;

Fig. 2 is a View looking from the right of Fi 1 i Fig.3 is a plan view of the structure shown inFig.1;and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing the relative position of the mold members as acted on by the press members in the initial operation of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, theframe of the apparatus, generally indicated at 1, is positioned to bridge the mold conveyor 2, which is normally continuouslydriven, to carry the filled molds to the heaters. The conveyor 2 comprises a series of inverted channelmembers 3 provided with flanged rollers 4; run

ning on tracks 5. Adjacent members 3 are joined by links lforming the members 3 into a continuous conveyor chain. Members 3 act as the lower platen of the mold closingpress and tracks5 are preferably locally'reenforced by longitudinalbeams 6 and cross beams 7 forming part of the frame 1. The upper platen ofthe press comprises a plurality of rollers 10 positioned transversely of the conveyor and freely journaled in bearings 11 carnected to the center of 1 23 and thespacelbetween der- 30 in'which piston .31"

ried on theunderside of platen member12 reciprocablymounted'on' and guided by vertical posts 13 forming part the frame 1 Platen member 12 is secured to the free endof a piston rod'13which is providedwith a piston "14 operating in a double acting hydraulic cylinder15 mounted on the frame 1. Water pressure is supplied to cylinder 15 through a PATENT o c:

valve 17 best shown iniFig. 1. The valveil'T comprises a cylinder 18 in which operates a piston 19 having. two spaced heads 20. The

ends of thecylinder 18 are connected by pipes 21 to a source of hydraulic pressure not shown. Pipe22 connects one end of cylinder 18 to the top oficylinder w15 and pipe23 connects-the other endlof cylinder 1 8'to the bottom of cylinder 15'. A return pipe 24 is conv cylinder v18intermediate the heads of pistonQO. 'In the position shown in Fig.1 the hydraulic pressure is betop of cylinder15 to drive piston 14 and the attached platen downwardly while the bot-' tom of cylinder 15 is connected through pipe heads to the reobvious when the opposite end ot cyl turn pipe 24; As will he piston 19 is movedto the inder 18, pipe 23 will be connected to the pressure side-21while pipe 22 willjbe connect ed to thereturn24, thus raising piston 14 and platen member12;

- The piston 19 is controlled by an air cylinis secured to piston rod towhlch p ston 19' is also secured. Air is' supplied to opposite sides of piston 31" through pipes 33 and 34 connectedto afour way valve35, which may be of any standard or conventional design, mounted adjacent the 'conveyor2 on a bracket 36 secured to frame 1; The actuating plate 37 of valve is normally held by spring 38 in positiontohold.

the platen member 12 infraised position Plate 37 isadapted to be rocked to-reverse'the. pressure in cylinder 15 and lower the platen. memberby. an actuator 39 pivoted at 40 to bracket 36 and provided with'anextension 31 positioned tobe engaged by the molds as they:

are advanced under the platen member 12; In order to facilitate removal of actuator 39 ing supplied through pipe's21'and 22; to the handle 41 is provided by which it may be raised from the pivot pin L0.

the conveyor thatthe forward edge of the In order to insure that the molds, indicated at 42, properly engage the actuator regardless of the size of the mold a vertical roll 43 is mounted adjacent the conveyorand in position to engage the molds .just prior to their contact with the actuator and slides them transversely into proper alignment with the actuator.

The opening of valve 35 by the actuator 39 is so timed with the speed of the conveyor and theoperation of cylinders 18 and 15 that the rolls 10 ofplaten member 12 initially engage the molds when they are partly under the press,the mold being progressively closed as the mold is carried beneath the descending platen by the conveyor. Ihave found that less hydraulic pressure is required to properly close" the mold when the mold isthus closed progressively than when the mold is completely'under the press when the platen is lowered. Furthermore, the mold halves more easily accommodate themselves to the centering dowels 45 (see Fig. 4) where the dowel at one edge is first engaged, permitting it to automatically adjust the halves to the other dowels. i

Should it be desirable to pass a series of emptymolds through the press the actuator 39 may be removed from its pin. The actuator may also be temporarily removed to permit molds to'be slid backwardly along the conveyor as may sometimes be necessary j when a 'mold passes through the press improperly'registered.

It will be seen that in the operation of my device the mol'ds are not removed from the conveyor and that regardless of s ze or spacing are closeduniformly and progressively.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim: r v I I 1.'A device for clos ng molds wh ch comprises, a continuously moving fiat surfaced 'm'old conveyor forming one member of a press, a vertically reciprocable platen positioned over the conveyor and forming the other member ofthe 'press, means to move the. platen into mold closingcontact with a mold on the conveyor, and actuating means positioned to be engaged by the mold, as the latter is advanced by the conveyor, to

actuate the platen moving meansesaid actuating means and said platen moving means being so timed with respect to the speed of advancing mold is first engaged by the platen, whereby the mold is progressively closed as it is carried beneath the platen by the conveyor. 1

2.- A device for closing molds which comprises, a continuously moving flat surfaced mold conveyor forming one member of a press, avertically reciprocable platen positioned over the conveyor and forming the and normally positioned to be engaged by the mold,,as the latter is advanced by the conveyor, to actuate the platen moving means, said actuatingmember and said platen mov ing means being so timed with respect to the speed of the conveyor that the forward edge of; the advancing mold is first engaged by the platen, whereby the mold is progressively closed as it is carried beneath the platen by the conveyor.

3. A device for closing molds which comprises, a continuously moving fiat surfaced mold conveyor forming one member of a press, a vertically reciprocable platen positioned over the conveyor and formingvthe other member of the p ress,'means to move theplaten into mold closing contact with a mold on the conveyor, an actuating member removably mounted adjacent the conveyor and normally positioned to be engaged by the mold, as the latter is .advanced by the conveyor,1to actuate the platen moving means, and means to position the mold on the conveyor in predetermined relation to the actuating member irrespective of the size of the mold, said actuating member and said platen moving means being so timed with respect to the speed ofthe conveyor that the forward edge of the advancing mold is first engaged by the platen, whereby the mold is progressively closed as it is carried-beneath the platen by the conveyor.

4. A device for closing molds which comprises, a continuously moving flat surfaced mold conveyor forming one member of. a press, a vertically reciprocable platen positioned over the conveyor and forming the other member of the press, an hydraulic cylinder for moving the platen into mold closing contact with a mold on the conveyor, an. air operated valve controlling the operation of said cylinder, a second valve. controlling the operation of the first named valve, an

actuating member for the second valve posi tioned to be engaged by the mold as the latter is advanced by the conveyor, said actuating member, said valves and. said cylinder being so timed with respect to the speed of the conveyor that the forward edge ofthe advancing mold is first engaged by the platen, whereby the mold is progressively closed as it is carried beneath the'platen by the con veyor. v

5. Adevice for closing molds which com-f prises, a continuously moving flat surfaced mold conveyor forming one member of a press, a. vertically reciprocable platen positioned over the conveyor and forming the otherv member of the press, means to move the platen to and from mold closing position, and means. responsive to the presence of a mold on the conveyor in a predetermined relation to the platen to actuate the platen moving means.

6. A device for closing molds which comprises, a continuously moving flat surfaced mold conveyor forming one member of a press, a vertically reciprocable platen positioned over the conveyor and forming the other member of the press, means to move the platen to and from mold closing position, and means responsive to the presence of a mold on the conveyor in a predetermined relation to the platen to actuate the platen moving means, said actuating means being adapted to be rendered inoperative at the Will of the operator.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature. 7

CHARLES EDGAR MAYNARD. 

